Menno Area Development Corporation

March 17, 2009

The Menno Area Development Corporation held its regular monthly meeting March 17, 2009 at the Open Door Café with the following present: Peg Thranum, Brad Letcher, Bruce Anderson, Jerome Hoff, Arlene Bertsch, Shannon Herrboldt, Dale Weiss, Dennis Aisenbrey, Cindy Aisenbrey, Marsha Schelske, Nancy Larsen, Lee Friesen, Gary Schelske and Donna Zeeb.

President Dale Weiss called the meeting to order at 12:20 p.m.

Marsha Schelske moved to approve the agenda with the addition of Community Club. Cindy Aisenbrey seconded; motion carried.

Cindy Aisenbrey moved to approve the minutes. Shannon Herrboldt seconded; motion carried.

Dennis Aisenbrey moved to approve the finance report. Cindy Aisenbrey seconded; motion carried.

SEFP REPORT: Nancy Larsen shared a DVD with the group concerning SEFP, what it is and what its purpose is. Clients of SEFP shared their stories.  The DVD will be used to market SEFP to investors. Invitations will be sent in the near future for the Investors Reception to be held in Freeman on April 15.

There were no committee reports given.

Business: There will be an Energy Workshop in Tripp at the American Legion Hall March 23, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Dinner cost is $5. On the agenda: Agricultural Wind Development -Leases, Wind Associations, etc.; Carbon Sequestration – Availability and Rules; Small Wind and Solar Applications; Geothermal Heating and Cooling and Financial Assistance. The workshop is sponsored by Southeast Dakota Wind LLC., Hutchinson County Extension, Southeastern Electric Cooperative, SD Dept. of Agriculture, Randall and Lower James RC&D’s.

South Dakota Rural Enterprise, with support from SD Housing Development Authority, is sponsoring a free teleconference and Information Exchange Monday, March 30 at 12 noon CDT. Learn about the SD Rural Housing Playbook, a guide to help rural communities meet their housing development challenges. For more information go to www.sdrei.org and look for the SD Rural Housing Playbook link.

There will be a regional conference to learn about the Rural Housing Playbook held at the Centerville Legion Hall Monday, April 6, 2009 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Lunch will be provided. The conference is sponsored by East River Electric Power Cooperative and Rural Electric Economic Development, Inc., Reed Fund. You may download a free copy of the Rural Housing Playbook at www.RuralHousingPlaybook.com.

Cindy Aisenbrey stated at the last Community Club meeting they had a discussion concerning a community garden. She asked permission to use the empty lots on the east side of Fifth Street owned by MADC for this purpose until the lots would be sold or used for a commercial business. The group asked for more information before making a decision, but there was no opposition to the idea.

Our next meeting will be April 21 at 12 noon at the Open Door Café.

Bruce Anderson moved to adjourn at 12:55 p.m. Marsha Schelske seconded; motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Peggy Thranum, Secretary